Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has backed goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen following an error that resulted in Chelsea losing to Aston Villa.

Jorgensen allowed Marco Asensio's volley to squirm in late on in Saturday's clash at Villa Park, as Unai Emery's team came from behind to win 2-1.

He has started Chelsea's last three Premier League matches, with Robert Sanchez having fallen out of favour.

And ahead of Chelsea's home game against bottom-of-the-league Southampton, Maresca has confirmed that Jorgensen is still the first-choice goalkeeper.

"For sure. If we need to change a player every time they made a mistake then we would need to change many players game by game. Nothing has changed," he told reporters.

"He is OK. He feels a little bit sad or upset because he recognises he made a mistake but overall he is ok," he said.

Maresca also made it clear that he is not worried about Cole Palmer's loss of form, with the playmaker having squandered a great chance against Villa when the score was level at 1-1.

"I am always concerned about general performance. I am not concerned about Cole because Cole is a human being and he can have some moments during a season where he struggles a little bit more," said Maresca.

"The problem with Cole is that we rely on Cole for everything and I said since we started that we need to rely on the team. We need top players like Cole but we are not worried about him at all."

Palmer has scored 14 goals and contributed six assists in the Premier League so far this season and Maresca believes that he will recapture his form.

"He needs to continue the way he is working. The other day he had a great chance but overall the performance from him. As I said, every game we expect a goal or assist from him so it is difficult.

"He is a human being. At this moment his performance probably reflects the team performance, that we struggle to score goals so we need to be a little more clinical when we get the chances."

Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes, meanwhile, knows the Saints must offer a response following a 4-0 loss to Brighton.

“We know that these tactics have risks but if you can win the duel, you can go forward and we would have superiority every time and we can score," said Fernandes.

"We need to do better. Spend more time in the gym and get better rest. We need to do what the gaffer wants. We trust him and he is our leader. We need to trust him."

Back home tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/eEcIiJbCCQ

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 24, 2025

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chelsea – Cole Palmer

Palmer’s last Premier League assist for Chelsea was against Villa in December. Since then, Palmer has created 35 chances for 12 different team-mates without any of them being converted.

He is on a five-game drought without a goal or assist, so will be licking his lips at the opportunity to get back to form against a weak Southampton defence.

Southampton – Tyler Dibling

Dibling is Southampton's second-highest scorer this season with four goals in all competitions, just one back on top scorer Cameron Archer.

He has also created 14 chances in the Premier League, and has carried the ball the second-furthest in the Southampton squad (3,133.99m), while his carries have ended in 13 shots – more than any other player in the team.

MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN

Chelsea have won 11 of their last 14 Premier League games against sides starting the day bottom of the table (D2 L1), though their only defeat in this run was at home to Southampton in February 2023.

Southampton, meanwhile, have lost each of their last six midweek Premier League games, including all three this season by an aggregate score of 9-2.

Ivan Juric's side have lost 15 of their last 19 matches in all competitions, including each of their last three.

Saints are currently bottom of the table on nine points (0.35/game) and need three more in their final 12 matches (0.25/game) so as not to beat or level the record lowest points total in Premier League history (11, set by Derby County in 2007-08).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chelsea – 78.8%

Draw – 12.8%

Southampton – 8.3%